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Columbia, Missouri · Personal Injury Attorney

Product Liability Lawyer
Columbia, Missouri

When a defective product injures you or a loved one, you may have the right to seek compensation from the manufacturer, distributor, seller, or other responsible company. Product liability cases are more complex than standard personal injury claims — they involve corporate defendants, technical evidence, and contested questions about causation. At Bur Oak Injury Law, Chris Miller personally handles every case, start to finish, with no handoffs to associates or paralegals.

The Law Office of Chris Miller helps injured clients in Columbia, Missouri and throughout central Missouri after injuries caused by defective consumer goods, dangerous pharmaceuticals, unsafe medical devices, faulty auto parts, and other defective products. If you were hurt, call (573) 499-0200 for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.

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Missouri Supreme Court track record
Licensed in Missouri since 2012
Columbia, Missouri · Product Liability Law

Why You Need a Product Liability Lawyer in Columbia, Missouri

Product liability claims are not ordinary personal injury cases. These cases often involve corporate defendants, technical evidence, expert testimony, insurance companies, and deeply contested questions about whether a defective product caused your injuries. Large manufacturers maintain teams of defense lawyers whose job is to minimize your recovery — hiring a product liability attorney levels the playing field.

When Chris Miller handles your claim, you gain key advantages: expert investigation to preserve the defective product and gather evidence, access to engineering and medical expert witnesses, aggressive negotiation with insurance defense teams, and trial-ready preparation if a fair settlement isn't offered. The Missouri Revised Statute § 537.760 outlines strict liability guidelines — to succeed, you must prove the product was defective, the defect caused your injury, and you were using it as intended. Chris knows how to build that case.

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Missouri Supreme Court Track Record
Chris Miller has successfully argued before the Missouri Supreme Court, winning a case that expanded the rights of working Missourians statewide. He brings the same commitment and preparation to every product liability claim he handles across central Missouri — no shortcuts, no handoffs, no associates taking over your case.
Case types

Product Liability Cases We Handle in Central Missouri

In Missouri, there are three main types of product defects that can lead to a product liability claim: manufacturing defects, design defects, and failure to warn. The Law Office of Chris Miller handles the full range of defective product cases across Boone County and surrounding central Missouri communities.

Defective Medical Devices

Faulty implants, surgical instruments, and diagnostic equipment can cause serious injury. These cases often require medical and engineering experts to establish design or manufacturing defects.

Dangerous Pharmaceuticals

Prescription drugs may cause harmful side effects, contamination, undisclosed risks, or inadequate warnings. Pharmaceutical cases may target the manufacturer, distributor, or pharmacy.

Automotive Defects

Faulty brakes, airbags, tires, steering systems, and fuel systems can cause catastrophic injuries. Claims may be brought against the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of a defective vehicle component.

Consumer Products & Electronics

Defective appliances, power tools, children's products, and electronics — including overheating devices and battery explosions — can cause burns, shocks, and fires.

Food Contamination

Foodborne illnesses from contaminated, mislabeled, or improperly manufactured products can involve retailers, distributors, packaging companies, and manufacturers.

Wrongful Death Claims

When a defective product causes death, the family may have a wrongful death claim under Missouri law. Our firm represents families in Columbia and central Missouri after fatal product injuries.

What you can recover

Compensation Available in a Columbia Product Liability Case

Missouri allows product liability victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Under Missouri's comparative fault principles, your award may be reduced if you share partial fault — but you can still recover. Punitive damages may also be available when a defendant's conduct was particularly egregious, intended to punish and deter similar misconduct.

Economic Damages

Medical expenses (past and future), hospital bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage caused by the defective product.

Non-Economic Damages

Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and — in cases of severe permanent injury — disfigurement or disability.

Wrongful Death Damages

When a defective product causes death, Missouri's wrongful death statute (§537.080 RSMo) allows surviving family members to recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of consortium.

Punitive Damages

Available when a manufacturer or seller acted with conscious disregard for consumer safety. These are relatively rare but can significantly increase total compensation in egregious cases.

Expert Product Liability Legal Services in Columbia, Missouri

The Law Office of Chris Miller represents clients in Columbia product liability matters involving defective consumer products, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, appliances, electronics, tools, vehicles, and other dangerous products placed on the market. Personal injury claims may involve negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, failure to warn, or another legal theory under Missouri law. Demonstrating the lack of product quality is essential in verifying defectiveness and liability, as statutory standards of quality play a key role in successful product liability claims.

Product Liability and Wrongful Death in Central Missouri

When a loved one dies because of a dangerous or defective product, the family may have a wrongful death claim in addition to the underlying product liability claim. In most Missouri product liability cases, the statute of limitations is five years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit under RSMo § 516.120. Wrongful death cases have a shorter three-year deadline under RSMo § 537.100, so families should contact a liability lawyer as soon as possible to protect their rights and preserve evidence. Our firm represents families in Columbia, Boone County, and surrounding central Missouri communities after fatal injuries caused by defective products.

How it works

Our Product Liability Case Process

Chris Miller personally handles every step — from the first call through resolution. No handoffs to associates or paralegals. No fee unless we win.

  1. 1
    Free case evaluation We review your injuries, the defective product, medical records, photographs, packaging, warning labels, and any communications with the manufacturer or insurance company. We determine whether your claim satisfies Missouri's strict liability or negligence standards and explain your options — no cost, no obligation.
  2. 2
    Investigation and evidence preservation Product liability cases require detailed proof. We preserve the defective product, identify product defects, obtain manufacturing and distribution records, and determine every party that may be liable. Access to engineering, manufacturing, and medical experts is crucial — our firm has the network to support complex product cases.
  3. 3
    Legal action and negotiation When the evidence supports legal action, we file claims against manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other responsible parties. We negotiate aggressively with insurance defense teams. Insurance companies may argue the product was not defective, the injury came from another cause, or the product was misused — we prepare to counter all of it.
  4. 4
    Settlement or trial Most cases settle. When insurers refuse to pay fair value, we prepare the case for trial in Boone County Circuit Court or the appropriate venue. Lawyers specializing in product liability must have deep trial experience due to the contested nature of such cases — Chris Miller is prepared to go the distance. No fee unless we win.
Missouri law

Missouri Product Liability Law: Strict Liability, Statute of Limitations, and Your Rights

Product liability lawsuits must generally be filed within five years of the date of injury under the Missouri statute of limitations at §516.120 RSMo. Wrongful death claims carry a shorter three-year window under §537.100 RSMo. Missing these deadlines permanently extinguishes your right to compensation — and product evidence, witness statements, and manufacturing records become harder to obtain over time.

Under Missouri's strict liability standard codified at §537.760 RSMo, you do not need to prove the manufacturer was negligent — only that the product was defective, the defect caused your injury, and you were using the product as intended. Multiple parties in the distribution chain may be liable, including manufacturers, component suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers.

After a defective product injury, manufacturers and insurers often contact victims quickly with settlement offers made before the full extent of your injuries is known. Accepting a settlement and signing a release extinguishes your right to seek additional compensation even if complications arise later. At Bur Oak Injury Law, we handle all communications and reject inadequate offers. Call (573) 499-0200 for a free consultation.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions — Product Liability Lawyer Columbia, Missouri

In Missouri, you generally have five years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. Wrongful death claims have a shorter three-year window under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100. Evidence, witnesses, and the defective product become harder to preserve over time — contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Missouri allows both economic damages (medical expenses, lost wages, property damage) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life). Punitive damages may also be available when conduct was particularly egregious. The amount depends on injury severity, liability disputes, comparative fault, and whether the defective product caused long-term harm.
No. The Law Office of Chris Miller handles product liability cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing upfront, and attorney fees are only owed if we recover compensation for you. This allows injury victims to pursue justice against large manufacturers and corporations without worrying about out-of-pocket legal costs.
Missouri product liability law recognizes three main types of defects: manufacturing defects (a problem introduced during production), design defects (a flaw in the product's blueprint that makes every unit potentially dangerous), and failure to warn (inadequate instructions or warnings about the product's risks). Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.760, strict liability applies when a defective product causes injury.
Multiple parties in the chain of distribution can be held liable, including the manufacturer, component part suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers. In some cases, cleaning contractors, repair companies, or third-party assemblers may also share responsibility. Our firm investigates the entire product chain to identify every liable party and maximize your recovery.
Related practice areas

Other Personal Injury Services at Bur Oak Injury Law

Injured by a Defective Product? Talk to Chris — Free.

No fee unless we win. One attorney handles your case from the first call through resolution. Call (573) 499-0200 or send a message today.

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